By Hannah Curran, Editor
TRUSSVILLE — The council approved a resolution authorizing the city of Trussville to join the State of Alabama and other local governments as participants in current and future opioid settlements at the council meeting on Tuesday, July 26.
According to the resolution read during the meeting, the opioid epidemic continues to impact communities in the United States, the State of Alabama, and the City of Trussville.
Trussville has suffered harm and will continue to suffer harm as a result of the opioid epidemic. The State of Alabama and some Alabama local governments have filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers (“Opioid Litigation”).
The State of Alabama has entered into various Settlement Agreements and is likely to enter into additional agreements in the future, which include the claims for the State of Alabama’s local governments.
The resolution states that the State of Alabama has prepared and presented Settlement Sign-On Agreements to the local governments.
“The city of Trussville finds that participation in the various Opioid Settlements, Settlement Agreement, and Sign-On Agreement is in the best interest of the City of Trussville and its citizens because such a plan would ensure an effective structure for the commitment of Settlement Funds to abate and seek to resolve the opioid epidemic,” the resolution states.
During public comments, Trussville resident Regina Freeman asked the council when the city of Trussville would receive a new aquatic complex.
“Trussville’s pool was built in 1954,” Freeman said. “It doesn’t have any steps into the pool; to get into the pool, you have to jump in or climb down the ladder backward.”
Councilmember Perry Cook agreed with Freeman, saying that Trussville has received several upgrades, using the example of the sports complex with a gymnastics program.
“With all the other things we have, we need a larger pool,” Cook said. “I do think we need a gradual incline, and folks like yourself and others who don’t need to walk down the ladder backward. So I think we need to address things like that, and I would like for that to be moved up a little bit with this council approval to think about that.”
Also, during public comments, Trussville resident John Rutledge expressed his concerns about the safety of Roper Tunnel Road.
“People are just rolling through our street to the back of our neighborhood where the more expensive houses are and just having a total disregard for our safety and our respect,” Rutledge said. “These people are speeding, and they don’t stop at the stop signs.”
Councilmember Alan Taylor explained that they could address the concerns at the next public safety meeting in September and discuss potentially adding speed bumps and devices to check speed.
Bianca Guiser also spoke and addressed her concerns about the speeding on Roper Tunnel Road.
“Probably half of the people that run through the stop sign or speed are neighbors that live in the back of the neighborhood,” Guiser said. “Otherwise, the rest are people that are just visitors.”
Guiser explained that the most prominent times people speed is in the morning when they go to work and in the afternoon when they return home.
Rutledge and Guiser mentioned that they had called the police department to report the speeding. While the police department does have officers come out, they need a more permanent option to reinforce the speed limit.
“I’m concerned about the children who may cross the street and pets; I don’t want to be saying, ‘I wish we said something,'” Guiser said.
Police Chief Eric Rush told Rutledge and Guiser that he would meet with both of them to discuss possible options to address the concerns before the public safety meeting in September.
In other news, the council approved:
- Ordinance to Amend Section 2.1(g) Order of Procedure for Meetings;
- FIRST READING ONLY – Ordinance to ReZone 144 Skyline Drive to R-1 (Single Family) from R-G (Garden Residential);
- FIRST READING ONLY – Ordinance to ReZone Glendale Farms to PUD (Planned Urban Development) from A-1 (Agricultural), I-1 & I-2 (Industrial);
- Resolution Approving Unpaid Leave of Absence;
- Resolution Agreeing to Legal Settlement Terms with McKesson and Johnson & Johnson;
- Authorize the Mayor to Accept Milam’s $48,950 proposal for Culvert Project at Cedar Creek Circle and US Highway 11;
- Authorize the Mayor to sign a Master Contract for Public Safety Services with Alabama Power. Cost – $2,842.40 per month;
- Accounts Payable;
- Basic SRO training class for Police Officer Brandon Brown, Aug 1-5 in Opelika. $445 registration fee plus accommodations;
- Added 10% education and 5 paramedic premiums for Firefighter Paramedic Jeremy Thomas, effective July 11, 2022;
- Hired Michelle Jones as a part-time Unclassified Laborer at the Civic Center (Grade 7 – Step 2), effective July 16, 2022;
- Hired Christopher Taylor as a full-time Unclassified Laborer in Public Works (Grade 7 – Step 6), effective July 16, 2022;
- Hired Jonathan Newton as a part-time Circulation Clerk at the Library (Grade 12 – Step 1), effective July 30, 2022; and
- Authorize the Mayor to Sign a Proposed Citywide Office Copiers/Printers Lease with CPC Office Technologies. Cost – $3,119 per month.
The next Trussville City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, August 9, beginning at 6 p.m.